Our children’s nutrition is vital to their health and development, both in school and in sports. Teach your kids about healthy choices today to establish healthy habits for tomorrow. Set a good example by involving them in meal planning, introducing them to cooking and portion control and getting active!

If you’re pregnant you have probably heard the phrase eating for two. It’s true that a pregnant woman's calorie intake grows during pregnancy, but simply doubling your calorie intake is not the solution for you or your baby.

About Us

Founded in Hawaii in 1851, Dole Food Company, Inc., with 2010 revenues of $6.9 billion, is the world's largest producer and marketer of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole markets a growing line of packaged and frozen foods, and is a produce industry leader in nutrition education and research. The Company does business in more than 90 countries and employs, on average, 36,000 full-time, regular employees and 23,000 full-time seasonal or temporary employees, worldwide.

Sea Salt Scam

No Benefits, Same Health Risks, Higher Price Tag

Gourmet rock or sea salts, sometimes with exotic sourcing (e.g., Himalayas, Cayman Islands) and attractive pastel colors have become the new “it” ingredient. While chefs may emphasize flavor enhancements, some sea salt purveyors are making ambitious health claims, promising their product will reduce signs of aging, support your libido, and promote the proper pH balance in your brain cells. Consumers are responding: The sea salt market grew 67% per year over 2007-2010.Indeed, one British study found that a quarter of consumers believe that sea salt was healthier than table salt – and almost half thought it was worth the higher price tag. But since that price tag can ring up 22 times higher than table salt (for example, one of the more expensive brands costs $125 per lb.), we asked ourselves: While you’re shaking out, are marketers shaking you down?

The belief in sea salt salubriousness hinges on the premise that it contains “natural” nutrients and more minerals than table salt. While this may be technically true, the amounts are so minuscule as to be meaningless in the body — or the minerals are so arcane as to have no known health benefit. For example, one analysis of a popular sea salt found that a quarter teaspoon provided 0.128% of calcium, 0.012% of iron, and 0.227% potassium. It also supplies infinitesimal amounts of strontium, rubidium and erbium — for whatever that’s worth. Far more relevant is the fact that unlike table salt, sea salt is not fortified with iodine which supports thyroid health. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is the most common cause of retardation globally.

Any health advantages to sea salt are fantasy — but the health risks of too much sodium are all too real. Both gourmet and table salts contain the same amount of sodium — the danger is that imagined health benefits of sea salt would encourage people to use the stuff even more liberally. Most people already consume well in excess of up to 3 times the amount of the 1,500 milligrams of sodium the body needs on a daily basis, so upping that intake amounts to an expensive way to increase your risk of hypertension, stroke and heart disease.Indeed, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetic Association) states that reducing salt intake by a mere 15% could translate into 9 million fewer deaths caused by the complications brought on by high blood pressure. So save your money — and your health — by forgoing fancy gourmet salts in favor of herbs, spices and other low-sodium flavorings.

Bonus: Did you know that a high-sodium diet could weaken bones? One study found a 17% higher calcium loss among those with the highest salt intakes.

Responsibility

Dole Food Company, Inc. and Dole Packaged Foods believe that in order to perpetuate sustainability it is of the utmost importance to treat our people, resources, environment and community as our most precious assets. In order to protect its greatest assets, Dole has built its sustainability strategy on four pillars: water management, carbon footprint, soil conservation and packaging.

About the DNI

The Dole Nutrition Institute (DNI) was founded by David H. Murdock in 2003 as a research and education foundation within Dole Food Company. Now in his 90's, Mr. Murdock is an ardent practitioner of a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet and a true believer in the power of a variety of fruits and vegetables to promote health and longevity. The DNI is comprised of scientists who conduct cutting-edge, nutrition-based research at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis, North Carolina. From Dole's corporate offices in Westlake Village, CA, a dedicated Nutrition and Health Communication specialist, who is also a Registered Dietitian, reports on the latest health-promoting findings to the public through various publications and media outlets. An Executive Admin provides support to both locations to complete the team which endeavors to fulfill the DNI's mission of "feeding the world with knowledge."

Premium Products, Dole Dedication

Dole Foodservice products have been satisfying the most discriminating patrons of restaurants and other foodservice operations for nearly a century. Our premium quality products are specially designed to meet the unique operational needs of foodservice operators. Dole backs its dedication to quality with comprehensive food safety programs, stringent quality control measures, and ongoing research and innovation.